New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-11
TWO FOREIGN COMPLICATIONS

The United States presents most humila'-
ing spectacle just now in its rlations WIN ioi
cipn Powc,s. Two Of these Powers, ono weak
and helpless and the other strong IN resources
o,d in arms gave offence British Officials
seized n score of American vessels, in violation
of treaty rights, inhicting i1cparable injuries
mon a great number of American citizens.
Mexican officials arrested and tried one Amcri-
car c;tizcn for an offence committed on Mex
lean soil.
The United States tamcly and tarlily ncgo-
tiated with the great Power, but made haste
TO bully Mexico by pcrcmptory demand Tor
release of the one imprisoned citizen. This de-
mand, It soon appeared was based upon gross
bunder by tho Secretary of State, who had
supposed that the arrest and confinement had
been for acts in this country. In order 10
crawl out of the blunder, he sent person OF
no diplomatic experience to Mexico to "ascer-
tain the facts" thing quite proper to be done
before a percmptory demand had been made
This inexperienced diplomatist, according to an
official report by our own Consul made such a
scandal that the Department did not venture
TO give his statement to the public as reason
for its course. To escape the humiliation oil
investigating Its envoy. the Department dis
believed the report Of its Consul and recalled
him in disgrace, and he now offers to prove the
truth of bis report. Its accredited Minister to
Mexico naturally became indignant and re-
signed. In his place the Department sent
Louisiana Judge. who had been refused reap
pointmcnt by Democratic Governor because
of his "convivial habits" This new Minister
sgnalized his arrival at Mexico, according to
reports, by being confined to his quarters for
some DAYS in a state of intONicatiOn. Mean
while the Department has been obliged to drop
in disgrace this attempt to pick quarrel about
the confinement of one citizHn.
All this time nothing has been done to pro
tect the rights of thousands who arc wrOnged
by the action of Canada. American claims are
asserted in diplomatic papers, it is true. But
no step is taken to compel more prompt atten-
ton to the matter by British authorities, or to
lead Canadian officials to dosist from acts OF
injury until pending questions can be settled.
The scarcely concealed aim Of the Department
Is TO bring about an agreement by which large
interests of this country may he sacrificed to
please the British Minister and British traders.
The Senate passes a bill authorizing retaliatory
our ports, and the State Department thcrcupon
prompts the House 10 insist upon different
measure. II the intention were to prevent any
action, through failure of the two houses to
agree, a course more shrcwdy devised to that
end could hardly he suggested. Meanwhile
Canadian vessels, twenty-five in number, are
now fishing in American waters, late dispatch
states, while British gunbOats are threatening
destruction to any American vessel which dares
TO cross the imaginary boundary and to fish
in Canadian waters.
There was time when this Nation showed
courage in dealing with foreign Powers, and
did not paltcr with the strong while trying to
bully the weak. There was time when
American rights and interests were promptly
and vigorously defended, executive and legis-
lative branches heartily uniting in efforts to
make the flag respected. That was before a
British Administration came into power under
pretcncc of Reform.